The phone had rung twice when she’d placed that call. The NSO operator had answered and she’d asked to speak to Doctor Trisha, had lied and said the woman was expecting her call. Becca had given a false name and even used a Texas accent. She’d lived in that state for five years when she’d been a kid while her father was stationed there as a combat instructor. She felt sure she could pull it off and believed she hadn’t forgotten to keep her voice altered.
Doctor Trisha had picked up after four rings. She would never forget the way her stomach heaved at hearing each ring, her heart had raced and fear had gripped her. It was too dangerous to make the call but she’d needed some answers to some important questions.
“This is Doctor Trisha.” The woman had a cheerful voice.
Becca knew that would change. “Hello,” she’d managed to get out. “I don’t have much time, I’m afraid you’ll trace the call, but we need to talk.”
“Um, okay.” The doctor’s happy tone changed to one of hesitancy.
“Is it true that some New Species are allergic to chocolate and it makes them really sick?”
The silence had stretched longer than Becca liked, every one of them counting since time was limited. They could try to track the phone but by the time someone got there, she’d have disabled the battery, been gone and planned to dump it somewhere else in a trash bin.
“You need to address all your questions to the public relations department of the NSO,” Trisha had finally responded. “Have a nice day.”
Panic gripped Becca. The doctor planned to hang up. “Wait! This is urgent.”
More seconds ticked but the line remained open. “It’s urgent that you know if they are allergic to chocolate? What kind of nut ball are you?” Anger altered her voice again.
“I’m pregnant,” Becca blurted, clenched her teeth in regret but knew she’d have to reveal that fact to get the answers she so desperately needed. She took a calming breath to remember to talk with the false accent. “I slept with a New Species and I’m pregnant. I’m afraid that if I eat chocolate that I’ll hurt the baby. I need to know if that’s a possibility.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I’m not laughing.” Becca hesitated. “It’s true and I am afraid to go to a doctor, considering who the father is. Will a doctor be able to tell that right off? I know they take tests and give ultrasounds. Is it safe for me to go see someone or do I have to avoid that to prevent them from finding out?”
“Don’t you have better things to do than make prank phone calls? I do.” Trisha sighed. “I’m hanging up now.”
Panic gripped Becca again. She knew the doctor didn’t believe her but she needed to. “His sperm is noticeably hotter than other men. They are also well endowed, at least he was and he growls a lot during sex. He has sharp teeth, likes to grip skin with them and enjoys sex on the rough side.” She hesitated. “This isn’t a joke and he was circumcised.”
“Who is this?” Trisha’s voice came out soft. “Is this for real?”
“Yes.”
“You need to come to Homeland, just tell them you need to see me and they’ll escort you in. I’ll personally examine you. I don’t believe you since Species can’t breed but it will end this nonsense.”
“I am pregnant, the father is New Species and no way am I coming there. Just please answer my questions.” Becca hated the desperation she heard in her own voice. “Can it hurt the baby if I eat chocolate? I crave it but I’ve avoided having it. I’m taking over-the-counter prenatal vitamins but I’d like to see a doctor. Will he know if he examines me that something is off? It’s two questions, two answers and that’s all I need.”
The silence made Becca realize she’d wasted money on a disposable phone and making the call. No New Species baby had ever been conceived before, everyone knew it was impossible and the doctor didn’t believe her. She’d risked it though since she was on her own without medical help. It terrified her not knowing if the baby was okay.
Trisha finally spoke again. “That’s not possible.”
“Well, it is. I’m definitely pregnant and too afraid to go see a doctor. I didn’t want to risk a test coming back weird and them figuring out my baby is mixed race. Please just answer the question. I have to get off the phone soon. I don’t want you to trace the call. I know y’all can do that.”
“Why don’t you come to Homeland? I’ll personally examine you myself. It’s free if you’re worried about money.”
“I can’t do that.”
Trisha spoke fast. “This is a prank, right?”
Becca fought tears. “I wish it were but no. I’m scared,” she admitted. “I know about the hate groups and I’m the first woman to get pregnant by one of them, which would be huge news. I don’t want my baby to be the center of a freak show or to be targeted by idiots. I’ve rented a remote cabin. No one but you knows about this. I don’t trust anyone.”
“You need to see a doctor. Come to Homeland. It will be safe. No one will hurt you.” Trisha took a deep breath. “Or I’ll come to you if this is real. Just tell me where you are. No one has to know.”
“It’s not happening.” Becca hesitated. “I can’t let my family find out. It’s hard to explain and complicated but that’s how it is. The baby’s father is New Species. Is there anything special I can’t eat or drink besides the regular stuff? Do I need to consume more meat? I know they eat a lot of it.”
“Tell me something else so I know this is real.”
Becca bit her lip. “I’m gaining weight fast and showing already when I shouldn’t be. I had morning sickness within a few weeks of getting pregnant but I thought I caught the flu until I started gaining weight and my breasts grew tender. I’ve had friends who had babies and remembered them complaining about that when they were pregnant.”
“Tell me where you are and I’ll come to you. You need medical supervision immediately if you are pregnant and it’s a New Species. How far along are you?”
“I’d rather not say. You could ask who’s slept with a human woman and narrow it down to find me. I won’t take that risk.”
A soft curse issued from the doctor. “You don’t know how dangerous this could be if you are alone. Are you really going to a remote cabin? You can’t do that. You need medical help close by. I need to know how far along you are.”
“I have to go. Do I need to eat more meat or avoid any foods? Can I see a doctor safely without it ending up on the evening news? Just answer that. I don’t want to harm the baby by not giving it what it needs or eating something it can’t tolerate.”
The doctor softly swore. “Yes. Eat more red meat. Some New Species get sick on chocolate. I don’t know if it would affect a baby but it can make some of them really ill. Don’t chance it. A doctor would get odd results right away if it were a Species baby and think something was wrong with your pregnancy. He’d run more tests and they would figure it out quickly. Come to Homeland. You—”
“That’s never going to happen. I’m sorry but forget that. I won’t see you.”
“Can you at least call me every day? Do you have a pen? I’m going to give you my cell phone number. We’ll talk and you’ll get to know you can trust me.”
Becca hesitated. “You won’t try to trace the call or anything?”
“I swear.”
Becca reached into her purse, knew it was a bad idea, the doctor was probably lying, but she was desperate. “Give it to me.” She wrote down the number. “I’ll call you in a few days. This isn’t a prank. I really am pregnant and it really is by a New Species.”